Trucker Accused of Battering, Kidnapping Woman

ALACHUA COUNTY - The Alachua County Sheriff's Office put the brakes on a trucker early this morning after investigators say he was holding someone against their will.

Eddie Sellers of Okeechobee is in the Alachua County Jail tonight...accused of kidnapping a woman.

It took several agencies to stop Sellers.

The trucker and the woman came from Virginia and at first it was a consensual relationship.

They were just going to travel his normal truck route.

But then the ride turned into a situation she wanted out of...and quickly.

Sellers traveled from Virginia with the victim and made a stop in Winterhaven in Polk County.

It's during that stop that deputies say the ride was no longer a friendly one.

Sgt. Brandon Kutner, Alachua County Sheriff's Office - "when they got into winterhaven they got into a verbal altercation in which the suspect is charged with viscously beating the victim and then kidnapping her in the truck he then traveled into Marion County where the victim was able to escape the truck and contact law enforcement."

After the victim contacted law enforcement, a "be on the look out" was issued.

That's when Sellers was stopped here at mile marker 407 on the Columbia County/Alachua County border.

He was arrested and remains in the Alachua County Jail.

No bond has been set and he will most likely be extradited back to Polk County.